Joseph Joubert
Joseph Joubert
Joseph Joubertwas a French moralist and essayist, remembered today largely for his Pensées, which was published posthumously...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth7 May 1754
CountryFrance
kindness should benevolence
We should do good whenever we can and do kindness at all times, for at all times we can.
exercise giving brain
Young authors give their brains much exercise and little food.
energy talent muscles
Strength is not energy; some authors have more muscles than talent.
art numbers wish
When the painter wishes to represent an event, he cannot place before us too great a number of personages; but he cannot employ too few when he wishes to portray an emotion.
art real secret
The ordinary true, or purely real, cannot be the object of the arts. Illusion on a ground of truth,--that is the secret of the fine arts.
essence ideas giving
A few words worthy to be remembered suffice to give an idea of a great mind. There are single thoughts that contain the essence of a whole volume, single sentences that have the beauties of a large work, a simplicity so finished and so perfect that it equals in merit and in excellence a large and glorious composition.
ruins reconstruction antiquity
Antiquity! I like its ruins better than its reconstructions.
self-esteem men long
There is graciousness and a kind of urbanity in beginning with men by esteem and confidence. It proves, at least, that we have long lived in good company with others and with our selves.
excess delight deprived
Of what delights are we deprived by our excesses!
travel judging world
To see the world is to judge the judges.
flower simple expression
It may be said that it is with our thoughts as with our flowers. Those whose expression is simple carry their seed with them; those that are double by their richness and pomp charm the mind, but produce nothing.
expression hints needs
Thoughts there are, that need no embodying, no form, no expression. It is enough to hint at them vaguely; a word, and they are heard and seen.
beautiful understanding beautiful-thoughts
Fully to understand a grand and beautiful thought requires, perhaps, as much time as to conceive it.
time doe wrenches
Imitate time; it destroys everything slowly; it undermines, it wears away, it detaches, it does not wrench.